Dispenser for papers and the like



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The casing supports a ratchet release which preferably has a coin control lock 35i of conventional type, and an operating hand`e 35 that may be moved when the coin release is actuated. The handle 36 is connected to a rod 3l that reciprocates in a bracket 38 mounted on the side wall lll. A ratchet dog 39 o the escapement type is liliewise pivot-ed at it@ to the bracket 3B and pivoted at 6l to the operating rod 3l. A coil spring l2 normally urges the rod 3l to the back of the container.

Operation The cartridge comprising the plate 25 and attached parts is separated from the casing by the lremoval of the cover i8. It is expected that there will be a plurality of such cartridges so that they may be loaded all at one time at some central In fact, they may be loaded from the presses, if desired.

@In loading the cartridge, one item to be dispensed is disposed between each two adjacent separators 28. A plurality of such items may be :of a casing is removed, and the old empty car- I tridge is withdrawn by slidingit upwardly ron the Irails.

In withdrawing former separators, the opening of the vertical panel i8 will enable the operator to hold the empty separators back so that they-do not hang up in being removed.

When an old .cartridge'is thus withdrawn, the new cartridge may be inserted in its place. In

inserting it, the separators are held upwardly,

until they engage the front edge panels it and rIl, and cannot fall down and permit the escape of the items to be dispensed. When the rack engages the ratchet dog, the cartridge will be properly positioned. The cover i3 is then inserted in place and locked.

" When the cartridge is initially placed in position, the ratchet bar will be in position so that its lowermost tooth hooks over the lower prong of the ratchet dog 39. It will be held there as this dog is immovable because the spring Ilz is forcing it counterclockwise in Figs. 3 and 6. In this position, the lowermost separator 25 will be in the position of the next to bottom separator .shown in Fig. 3, and there will be no separator below the opening Z.

When it is desired to dispense one item, a coin is-deposited into the coin control 35 releasing the handle 36 so that it may be pulled outwardly.

When it is pulled outwardly, it withdraws the `lower .end of the dog 39 from the notch, where- Yupon gravity causes the cartridge to descend. APulling out the lower end of the dog forces the .upper .prong of the dog 39 so that it engages a ,descending tooth and limits the downward movement to the space oi one single tooth. Upon sub- .Sequent release of the knob, the cartridge will .Settle downwardly with the lower end oi the dog engaging the tooth above the bottom one.

When the cartridge is thus caused to descend one notch, the lowermost spacer or separator 2Q edge of the wall i3, as is indicated in Fig. 3, this edge representing a stop means for the separator. This action swings the lower separator with respect to the next upper one, opening the space between them, and makes it possible to insert will fall off of the lower edge oi the front panel, y

so that it engages on or just below the upper 4 the ngers through the opening 2| and withdraw the newspaper or other item being dispensed.

It will be impossible to get additional items out of the machine because the separator 28 is too stil to be bent and r'enders the item above it inaccessible. Also, preferably, the opening 20 is barely large enough for the withdrawal of the magazine or newspaper, and the ringer opening 2l is only large enough for the insertion Yof fingers. It is particularly desirable that these vspaces be not large enough to permit an arm or even hand to be inserted into the casing.

As the several items are successively dispensed, the separators will drop down into the lower compartment. When the machine is completely exhausted of items, all of the separators will be in the lower compartment. From this, they may be conveniently withdrawn upon the removal of the cover I6.

It will be seen that a dispenser has been provided which accomplishes the objectives set forth at the outset of this specication and in the description thereof. It particularly provides a dispenser having a cartridge that is compact for transportation, when loaded, and which automatically opens its sections successively for dispensing the items. It operates preferably through the medium of gravity, with a compoundedA der scending action, but .it will be understood that force means may be used in place or in aid of gravity, at the sacrince of simplicity and convenience.

What is claimed is: Y

l. In a dispenser for papers and flat items, a casing having a supply section with a front wall terminating as the near edge of a discharge opening, a holder for items to be dispensed, said holder having a support spaced from said front wall, and a plurality of plate-like separators swingably attached to the support in a closely arranged series to provide a plurality of flatA in.- terspaces to receive the items, the separators extending across to the front wall andhaving a dimension greater than the distance from the support to said wall, whereby they are coniined thereby, the holder having means to prevent escape of the items out its back, means supporting the support for movement of the separators successively along said wall and across said opening, the casing providing an opposite edge `for the opening against which each separator may 'swing and separate its forward edge from that of the separator next above to render its item accessible through the opening, said opposite edge of the opening being displaced forwardly from the support a greater distance than the near edge of the opening. f y

2. In a dispenser of the kind described, a cas'- ing, a holder for tems to be dispensed,"the holder comprising a vertically movable means disposed in spaced relation to a wall of the casing, a plurality of plate-like separators hingedly mounted adjacent their back edges on the vertically movable means, to provide interspaces for the reception of items to be dispensed, the holder having means to limit movement of items in said spaces backwardly out of the holder, means between the holder and the casing to guide the holder for vertical movement in the casing, meansy to move the holder downwardly in steps equalft the distance between successive separators, means in the casing to form asupport for the forward parts of the separators and to holdv them in predetermined acute angular relation to the vertical with their forward parts above'their back edges. an opening for withdrawal of items from the casing, said support for the forward parts of the separators terminating adjacent the opening so that the forward part of each separator may swing down at the opening for dis- 5 pensing its item, the opening comprising a slot in the casing wall with the lower edge forwardly of the upper edge, the slot being too narrow to receive a. hand seeking to obtain an item in an interspace above the slot.

FRANCES C. RANSOM.

6 REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date ,691,564 Newman et a1. Jan. 211, 1992 l 749,535 Dawes Jan-L 12. 1904 967,545 Napier Aug. 16, 1910 10 2,154,147

Bensemann Apr. 11, 1939 

